DARWEN Vale High School and its new sponsor the Aldridge Foundation have confirmed the process for the conversion of the school to become an academy has been completed. 


In June, the Department for Education announced that the conversion would proceed. 


The Aldridge Foundation has been working with the school and with Blackburn with Darwen Council to complete arrangements for the transfer of staff and of contracts relating to the school since then.


Headteacher Fiona Jack has written to parents to confirm the news. 


She said: “I am delighted that we have certainty over our future. 


"We can now wholeheartedly move forward and increase our focus on improving the achievements of our pupils and finding new opportunities for all at Darwen Vale, backed by the extra support that the Aldridge Foundation and its national network of schools can give us.


“In the New Year, we are planning to hold events to explore the vision for Darwen Vale going forward which will involve staff, pupils and parents. 


"We are also finalising membership of our new governing body and I expect to be encouraging parents to step forward to become parent governors very soon.”


Honor Wilson-Fletcher, chief executive of the Aldridge Foundation, said: "We are proud and delighted to be the sponsors of the school. "


Already appointed as governors are Bob Simpson, who has been on Blackburn with Darwen’s governors panel for five years, founded Blackburn and Darwen Shopmobility, and is a former chair of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, and Dean Grice, an ex-pupil who has worked with Blackburn Rovers as academy coach, lives in Blackburn and works for the Football League Trust as their Regional Community Manager National Lead on Sports Participation. 


The school has also confirmed that it will be continuing to support existing community bookings at DVHS, working closely with the Local Authority to explore how they are developed in the longer term to ensure that the academy provides a high quality community resource for Blackburn with Darwen.


Harry Catherall, chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “It is very reassuring and I am pleased that there is a firm commitment to continue and grow the important community use provision at Darwen Vale High School.


“The Local Authority is committed to working with all schools in Blackburn with Darwen to ensure that young people get the best possible education.”